A blog launched on the 41st anniversary of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), the first pro-life organisation in the world, established on 11 January 1967. SPUC has been a leader in the educational and political battle against abortion, human embryo experimentation and euthanasia since then. I write this blog in my role as SPUC's chief executive, commenting on pro-life news, reflecting on pro-life issues and promoting SPUC's work.

Wednesday, 27 October 2010

Pro-life leaders' family spans four generations

Campaign Life Coalition (CLC) is organizing the conference which is co-sponsored by LifeCanada, International Right to Life Federation (of which I have the honour to be joint vice-president with Jim Hughes, CLC president) and LifeSite news.

The star speakers this weekend are, indubitably, Dr Jack and Barbara Willke who are pictured above at the Cincinnatti Right to Life Banquet which took place last Thursday. The picure reflects four generations of the Willke family: Jack and Barbara, Bob and Marie (Jack's and Barbara's daughter) Meyers, Steve (Bob and Marie's son) and Gina Meyers. The great granddaughter (Steve's and Gina's daughter) is Julia. Jack and Barbara have six children and 22 grandchildren (and one great grandchild).They are speaking on Saturday on the history of the pro-life movement.

Jack and Barbara Willke not only head a family spanning four generations. They are also authors of their fourth generation book, video, PowerPoint and slide set, Abortion, Questions and Answers: Why Can’t We Love Them Both. These succeeded the seven editions of their classic books, beginning with Handbook on Abortion in 1971, being the most widely read books in the world presenting the scientific case for the unborn. These have been published in 21 languages worldwide. He has also written Abortion and Slavery, History Repeats, and Assisted Suicide & Euthanasia, Past & Present. Dr. and Mrs. Willke are the authors of six other books in the field of human sexuality. Their works have been translated into 32 languages.

Let me know if you are interested in receiving a list of their publications.

I am most grateful to Brad Mattes, executive director and co-founder of Life Issues Institute, for sending me the picture-story above!

Sign up for email alerts

John Smeaton

About me

I became involved in SPUC after graduating, when I established a branch in south London in 1974. I have worked full-time for SPUC for 33 years. I became director of SPUC in the UK in 1996, having been general secretary since 1978. I was elected vice-president of International Right to Life Federation in 2005. At UN conferences in Cairo, Copenhagen, Beijing, Istanbul and Rome, I helped coordinate more than 150 pro-life/pro-family groups resulting in pro-life victories in Cairo, Istanbul and Rome. I was educated at Salesian College, London, before going to Oxford where I graduated in English Language and Literature. I qualified as a teacher, becoming head of English at a secondary school. I am married to Josephine. We have a grown-up family and we live in north London.

Acknowledgement

I am grateful to SPUC's staff, supporters and advisers for their help to me in researching, writing and producing this blog.

Twitter @spucprolife

Like SPUC's Page on Facebook

Images

I believe that I am allowed to use the images accompanying my blog and that they are licence- and royalty-free. However if the owner or the licensor disagrees, please contact me and I will remove it immediately.